The Dukes of Stalis are a punk, rock and alternative band from Walsall in the West Midlands, formed officially in mid 2006 the band had several years together before breaking on to the Midlands unsigned scene.

Original band members Russell J Bird, Dan Hopley and James Powell had been friends for quite a while before the band took off, Dan and James met in secondary school, Russell and Dan met through a local football team they were involved in (unknowingly Dan had gone to Junior School with Russell), after no time at all it was apparent that they shared the same ideas and tastes in music and soon talk of a band arose.

The first rehearsals took place at Dan’s house with a new bass brought for this latest pursuit, soon after the garage was liberated for a rehearsal room. Early rehearsals were mainly Russell and Dan with James occasionally playing a practice drum kit.

Before long the band outgrew its home and with a dozen or so tracks lined up started serious rehearsal at local studios working towards a first gig at Aldridge community centre, promoted and organised by the band.

Four gigs later it was decided that the three should become preferably become a four:

Matty Kess & Annie Nation had been to see over half of the Dukes gigs around Birmingham and Wolverhampton, also friends of the band they had become almost as involved with the band as the members themselves helping set-up, sound check and making on-stage adjustments.

The job of rhythm guitar was offered to Matt who had played bass in bands previously, a week later he decided to give it a go and made his debut at the Sheldon Marquee in October 06. Ever since Matt has been a permanent fixture of the band

A 13 track demo recording was produced in early 07 containing tracks written at various stages of the bands life from ‘Nations & Bodies’ being possibly the first Dukes of Stalis track to the most recent and darker ‘Root & Kill’, sections of this session can he heard on myspace or downloaded from pier to pier sites listed in the links section.

The Dukes of Stalis now in their early twenties are playing venues on a regular basis in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Burton, Walsall, and Nuneaton.

• Rock
• Punk